Signal US legislation and arms ties bolster Taiwan's standing amid Chinese protests

Summary

Washington is stepping up arms sales, military cooperation, intelligence sharing and strategic coordination with Taiwan. It passed the TAIPEI Act in 2019 to support Taiwan's international standing, and a Taiwan Allies Fund Act introduced in March 2025 would finance formal and informal partnerships, including Taiwan's entry into international organisations. Under Biden, the US also reached a kind of trade agreement with Taiwan, which the report calls a significant step. China's foreign ministry protested that such steps send the wrong signal to Taiwan independence forces and demanded that the talks and the implementing law be withdrawn. Beijing also responds by sanctioning US arms sellers and related Taiwanese firms.